Core Freelance Contract Essentials

te, so consider having a licensed attorney in your state review your final documents and contracts.

The documents you need to start a client project clearly, written by an attorney in plain English.

These documents are built around the moments that most often cause trouble in freelance work: unclear scope, extra requests, cancellations and late or unpaid invoices.

The Freelance Service Agreement is a complete, full-length contract: about 3,000 words across 20 sections, written in plain English. It covers:
- Services, deliverables and timeline
- Fees, deposit, invoicing and late payment
- Revision rounds and scope changes, with a Change Order process
- Ownership of the work: choose a full copyright transfer or a licensed-use option, either one effective only on payment in full
- Raw and working files, file retention and use of AI tools
- Portfolio and self-promotion rights
- Confidentiality and independent contractor status
- Warranties and a limitation of liability
- Termination: notice, ending by the Client, ending by the Freelancer, and how the deposit is handled
- Client unresponsiveness, force majeure, governing law and dispute resolution
- Formal notices, project representatives and general provisions

What's inside
Six documents plus a Usage Guide, numbered in the order you will use them:
- 01 Project Proposal: set scope, timeline and price before the agreement
- 02 Freelance Service Agreement: your core contract for every project
- 03 Cancellation & Kill Fee Addendum: a staged schedule if a project ends early
- 04 Invoice: for deposits, milestones, change orders and final payments
- 05 Change Order Form: put extra work in writing before you start it
- 06 Email & Message Scripts (bonus): ready-to-send wording for common client conversations
- Usage Guide (PDF): when to use each document, how to fill it in, and a before-you-send checklist

How the documents are written
- Plain English, fair to both sides, with a freelancer-first approach
- Fully editable in Microsoft Word, with yellow fill-in fields and removable instruction boxes
- Some clauses are optional. Keep only the ones that fit your situation.

Who it's for
Designers, photographers, writers, video editors, social media managers, consultants and other independent creatives.

How it works
1. Purchase and download your Word files and PDF guide instantly.
2. Fill in the yellow fields for your client and project.
3. Delete the instruction boxes, save as PDF and send.

Important notes
- Digital download only. No physical item will be shipped.
- Requires Microsoft Word or a compatible program.
- Contract and fee laws vary by state. Please have a licensed attorney in your state review your final documents.
- Because this is a digital product, all sales are final. That said, I want you to be happy with your purchase. If you have any issues or concerns, contact me within 7 days through the Contact page at licensedtodraft.com and I will work with you to resolve them.